The Impact Revolution with Sir Ronald Cohen
Sir Ronnie Cohen, a pioneering social innovator who is driving forward the global Impact Revolution, joins us to discuss the new edition of his book IMPACT: Reshaping Capitalism to Drive Real Change.
As cash-strapped governments struggle to meet pressing social challenges - from ballooning welfare bills, ageing populations to tackling climate change - and with widening inequality fuelling the rise of populism and social division, Sir Ronnie argues that our economic system is no longer working. He proposes that a new paradigm for sustainable and inclusive growth is needed - one that aligns risk, return and impact. Sir Ronnie will discuss how decision-making by investors, business, consumers and governments can and must take social environmental outcomes into account and how, by doing so, we move to an impact paradigm that offers a powerful way to improve millions of lives as well as the planet.
Speaker Bio:
Sir Ronnie Cohen is a pioneering philanthropist, venture capitalist, private equity investor and social innovator who is driving forward the global Impact Revolution.
He is President of GSG Impact and Chair of The Portland Trust, both of which he cofounded,and Vice-Chair of Capitals Coalition following its recent merger with the International Foundation for Valuing Impacts (IFVI) of which he was the founding Chair. He was co-founder of Social Finance UK, US and Israel and the Education Outcomes Fund, and co-founder Chair of Bridges Fund Management and Better Society Capital. He chaired the G8 Social Impact Investment Taskforce (2013–14), the UK’s Commission on Unclaimed Assets (2005–7), and the UK’s Social Investment Task Force (2000–10). In 2012 he received the Rockefeller Foundation’s Innovation Award for Social Finance.
He was co-founder and executive Chair of Apax Partners Worldwide LLP (1972–2005), a global private equity firm, and co-founder and Chair of the British Venture Capital Association. He co-founded the European Venture Capital Association as well as EASDAQ.
He is a former member of the Harvard University Board of Overseers and the Board of Dean’s Advisors at Harvard Business School, a former director of the Harvard Management Company and a former member of the University of Oxford Investment Committee. He is a former trustee of the British Museum and of the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
He is a graduate of Oxford University, where he was President of the Oxford Union, and an Honorary Fellow of Exeter College. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School to which he was awarded a Henry Fellowship.
He is the author of IMPACT: Reshaping Capitalism to Drive Real Change, published in 2020 which became a Wall Street Journal Bestseller. A second expanded edition will be released in November 2025. He is also the author of ON IMPACT: A Guide to the Impact Revolution. His first book The Second Bounce of the Ball, published in 2007, was described by the Financial Times as “one of the best books written on entrepreneurship in recent years.”
Sir Ronnie was born in Egypt which he left as a refugee at the age of 11. He lives in London with his wife of more than 30 years, Sharon Harel-Cohen, who is a film producer. They have two children, Tamara and Jonny.
WHEN: Thursday, 22nd January 2026
5.30 PM – 6.30 PM: Fireside discussion in Keynes Lecture Theatre
6.30 PM – 7.00 PM: Drinks reception and networking in King’s Bar
WHERE: King’s College, Cambridge
TICKETS: Registration information will be available in mid January.